ULTRASONOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF CARDIAC AND VASCULAR CHANGES IN YOUNG BORDERLINE HYPERTENSIVES

We measured the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (C CA) and of its bifurcation (BIF) in 20 borderline hypertensives (age 2 4 +/- 4 years) and in 20 normotensive subjects (age 23 +/- 6 years), a s a control group. Both carotid axes have been scanned from different views on a transversal and longitudinal section. Carotid diameter and thickness were measured in the longitudinal section. CCA parameters we re assessed 20 mm caudally to the flow divider. In borderline patients blood pressure (147.8 +/- 10.5/90.7 +/- 6.6 mm Hg) and left ventricul ar mass index(102.5 +/- 15.3 g/m(2)) were significantly higher than in normotensive subjects (blood pressure 120.5 +/- 11.5/78.0 +/- 5.4 mm Hg; left ventricular mass 90.5 +/- 14.3 g/m(2), p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 respectively). The intima-media thickness of both the CCA and BIF was significantly higher in borderline hypertensives than in normotensives (CCA 0.6 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.4 +/- 0.05 mm, p < 0.01; BIF 0.7 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.5 +/- 0.08, p < 0.01). In the whole population there was a statisti cally significant correlation between the carotid wall thickness and t he left ventricular mass. In conclusion our data show that ultrasonogr aphy provides direct evidence that in young borderline hypertensives t he increased left ventricular mass is associated with vascular hypertr ophy.